UPDATED: Ikea Brings (Really) Big Blue Bag to NYC

Editor’s note: This story has been updated based on recent developments.

Ikea will unveil a 19-foot-high interactive version of its iconic Frakta blue bag in Chicago’s Millennium Park on June 17-18, followed by Houston on June 24-25. The retailer had planned to make New York City’s Flatiron District the bag’s first stop on a national tour, but the Canadian wildfires’ impact has made outdoor events on the East Coast problematic. The sculpture will travel to New York City when conditions are safe.

Viewers who scan QR codes located on the sculpture will be offered exclusive discounts, with scans generating an AR animation of Ikea products flying out of the bag before providing users with directions for claiming their offer.

The installations are a continuation of The Giving Bag campaign that Ikea launched in March 2023, with commercials showing a family furnishing their new home with lamps, sofas, rugs and other home décor items magically pulled from a single bag.

The AR experience uses the Adobe Aero Geospatial software, which leverages geolocation technology that enables retailers to create 3D AR experiences connected to real-world locations.